Window Skinning for dummies....

[Eric]

The heat is REALLY starting to get to us and we still have all our windows i'm thinking the EASIEST method to help reduce our heat is to pull em and skin em over?.. I looks simple about 40 t20 scews and Voila! am i missing something? now i'm confident in my ability to remove said windows but how do i skin them over? Rivets? Metal screws? anything special i should know? What gauge metal do you suggest? We don't have awning funds right now so this seems to be my best bet.

Thanks in Advance

Eric

[robertglines1]

used 16 GA steel on three previous coaches.using 065 alum on this one because that's what was on it before and am matching...the 16 GA cold rolled doesn't seem to wave as much and excepts paint good...3/16 rivets about 4 inches apart..put silicon caulk behind sheet and insulate insulate=======insulate...one way to do it.your sheet metal shop will prob shear it for you...They may have off fall pieces you can buy cheap..short term  cut insulation foam and place inside window..spray in side window with silver paint will look like mirror from outside and reflect heat...just a few thoughts

[Eric]

Done the paint and foam trick....  the metal frames radiate the heat like nothing... i've insulated the rest of the bus but these windows are killing us!

[robertglines1]

any heat break that you apply like the silicone will help break up heat or cold transferr.to inside.I actually drilled my tublar frame (sidewall) and shot full of spray foam...started from bottom up..holes 6 inch apart.filled till came out next hole etc.you could really tell where i did it by differance to touch..in sun

[Eric]

Ok i REALLY like the foam idea inside the structure...but what does it do to the structure? wouldn't holes weaken it?

[robertglines1]

3/16 hole will not effect structure..try it on area test ;I couldn't believe differance. Forgot if you use steel paint  inside also to prevent any possibility of rust from moisture

[NewbeeMC9]

Not sure what you're bus is made of but just in case nobody chimes in in time for you, there was some discussion about using .080" aluminum.  Also  heat it up, shine some halogens on it or paint it black and lay it in the sun or what ever you come up with, then drill holes and rivet while it is hot then it should stay tight.  also if you go aluminum to steel, make sure you electrically isolate them or you will get corrosion between them.

[NeoplanAN440]

Be prepared to find a lot of rust,when you remove the windows.at least that what i found.there is a lot of water collecting underneath the window frames,eating up the structure.

i used 16gauge galvanized sheetmetal,to shin my bus.i heated it (exspand it) while plugwelding it to the main structure.

neoplan dis a combination of welding and glueing the skin onto the main frame.roff and walls are made the same way!!!